The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for sealing with pressurized air the inlet and the outlet for textile articles in a high pressure steamer used for treating textile articles under high pressure, high humidity and high temperature.
In the past it has been well-known to use a high pressure steamer for treating textile articles under high temperature and high pressure by applying saturated vapor at temperature and high pressure to textile articles. Further the present inventors have already filed several applications as a result of various studies and experiments made over a period of many years based on methods and apparatuses for sealing a high pressure steamer through which textile articles are passed with the high pressure steamer being kept sealed for preserving its high internal pressure and temperature.
An apparatus of the up-to-date type to be used in effecting such a sealing method has already been developed by the present inventors and comprises a pair of sealing plates adapted to be pressed against a pair of mutually contacting rubber seal rolls which are pressurized with the internal pressure of the drum body of a high pressure steamer and are adapted to separate the interior of the steamer from the exterior thereof at a position as close as possible to the mutually contacting portions of the rubber seal rolls.